Wheel Fun Rentals at Mile Square Park rents surreys, bikes, rollerblades, and quadsports, which look similar to a go-karts, but are pedal-powered. MACKENZIE REISS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Flight Supachat, 15, pictured center, jumps between Roger Estraba, 45 and Rigoberto Huipe, 79 in an attempt to score during a game of pickup basketball at Mile Square Park. MACKENZIE REISS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Natalie Marquez, 2, of Santa Ana tells the ducks at Mile Square Park Lake to stay in the water while she and her sister toss them handfuls of Cheerios. MACKENZIE REISS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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A group of men from ages 15 to 79 play a game of pickup basketball on one of the many courts located outside of the gymnasium at Mile Square Park. MACKENZIE REISS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Palm Island at Mile Square Park has access bridges on either side, which lead up to a central gazebo overlooking the lake on one side, and the park on the other. MACKENZIE REISS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Nancy Jimenez, 22, of Lake Balboa, Arlene Jimenez, 13, also of Lake Balboa, and Eunice Guijarro, 14, of Anaheim, converse under the shade of a tree on a sunny day at Mile Square Park. MACKENZIE REISS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Argenis Magana, 28, of Santa Ana prepares to strike a racquetball using his hand instead of a traditional racquet at the courts alongside the gymnasium at Mile Square Park. MACKENZIE REISS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Adrian Mendoza, 28, Santa Ana hits the volleyball over the net during an afternoon game with family and friends at Mile Square Park. MACKENZIE REISS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Natalie Mendoza, 24, of Santa Ana prepares to volley the ball during a Saturday afternoon game of volleyball at Mile Square Park. MACKENZIE REISS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Mile Square Park has two lakes, multiple golf courses and sports fields, along with a gymnasium and sheltered picnic tables throughout the park. MACKENZIE REISS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Timeline

Pre-1940 — The entire square mile is farm land.

Early 1940s — With World War II raging, the Navy purchases the land and constructs three 2,200-foot triangular landing fields.

March 1967 — The Navy leases the outside perimeter of the park to the county.

1970 — The first 85 acres of the park opens. The park is further developed over the next six years.

1974 — The Navy stops its military operations at the last remaining triangle landing strip. One year later, the county receives a permit to operate the Triangle.

1975 — The Fountain Valley Sports Park opens.

June 1999 — After defeating a lawsuit from model-airplane enthusiasts who wanted to preserve the landing strip, part of the last remaining triangle is converted into a second 18-hole golf course for Mile Square Golf Course.

February 2000 — Orange County leases an additional 23 acres to Fountain Valley.

February 2009 — The new and improved Recreation Center and Sports Park opens. That summer, the city hosts its inaugural Summerfest.

By the numbers

2,595,000 — the amount of money Mile Square Golf Course pays to lease the land from Orange County

640 — number of acres in one square mile

330 — estimated number of days per year the city's Recreation Center and Sports Park hosts an organized event

78 — acres leased to and managed by Fountain Valley

54 — holes of golf

16 — number of regional parks in Orange County

The I-405, with its diesel-chugging trucks and rush-hour gridlock, runs through the heart of Fountain Valley. Hyundai, Yakult and the Ayres Hotel are erecting monuments to commerce. The City Council is in a standoff with the state Finance Department over its redevelopment agency.

This usually quiet community is bustling.

But in the northern end of the city, contained within four major thoroughfares – Edinger Avenue to the north, Euclid Street to the east, Warner Avenue to the south and Brookhurst Street to the west – is the antithesis of urban logjam.

For decades, Mile Square Park has been a haven for those seeking exercise, leisure or quiet. And with summer approaching, the park – comprising two golf courses, a regional park and an active sports park – will once again be flooded with people looking to escape the dog days of summer.

The 640 acres of open space seemingly has everything a Southern Californian could need: the Fountain Valley-managed Recreation Center and Sports Park has nine baseball fields, six softball fields, 12 tennis courts, one of the most competitive basketball courts in Orange County, a shimmering recreation complex and about 330 days of organized activity on its 78 acres.

The county-controlled side, meanwhile, has two catfish-stocked lakes, barbecue pits, bike trails and acres of sycamore-shaded grass. Add to that Mile Square Golf Course, with its two 18-hole standard courses, and the 62-par executive David L. Baker Memorial Golf Course and you have a plot of land equipped to entertain toddlers, twentysomethings and seniors for hours.

"Mile Square Park is right at the top of the list in terms of best amenities," said Rich Adler, the real estate manager for OC Parks. "It's one of our premier urban parks."

It hasn't always been, though. The park evolved from farmland to military training site to several iterations of public open space, before turning into the park that exists now – one that is a prime location for summer fun.

ARCHERY RANGE GETS OLYMPIC-STYLE FACELIFT

Mile Square Park's archery range is getting a $2.5 million facelift.

The rundown archery range closed March 25 for an eight-month refurbishing project that will transform it into a 24-lane Olympic-style range.

County officials will have an official groundbreaking April 18, and the project is slated to be complete in early November, said OC Parks spokeswoman Marisa O'Neil.

"It was basically nothing," Tom Martinez, supervising park ranger at Mile Square Park, said about the range. "It was just eight hay barrels. We would like to attract tournaments and youth groups."

The archery range is nearly as old as the park. It opened in 1974, and is one of only two outdoor archery ranges in Orange County. The other is in Santiago Park in Santa Ana.

Besides the increased number of lanes, the project calls for improved perimeter fencing and a mound to prevent stray arrows from leaving the range.

Archers will be able to use the range on a first-come, first-served basis, Martinez said, unless there is a tournament, in which case the range would be closed to the public.

Martinez said he hopes the new layout will draw more people and make it a key destination for archers.

The upgrade has been in the works for a couple of years, with the county working with the International Archery Federation, Martinez said. The Orange County Supervisors approved the project in November.

VOICES

"I've been coming here for years and I've seen all the changes they've made. It's really cool. The park is a lot more kid friendly. The basketball courts are nice and they've changed the golf course too. This is definitely one of the best parks."

Marcus Dailey, 43, former Fountain Valley resident

"My family comes here two or three times a month during the summer, usually for parties or to play soccer. We love the grass, the trees, the nature. This is the only park we go to."

Sandy Villanueva, 35, Garden Grove resident

"I've been coming here on and off for probably 25 years. My brothers brought me here when I was in high school and it became home. This is probably the number one (basketball) court in Orange County. There's a lot of talent here."

Daryl Adams, 49, Orange County resident

"I used to live here years ago and now I decided to bring my kids here. This park has everything. There are playgrounds, lakes and shade on a hot day. In terms of size and amenities, nothing compares."

Tracey Townsend, 40, resident of Orange

"The county side of the park is more leisurely. You have lakes and more open grass. Our side of the park is very active. We have organized events going on throughout the year."

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